But in this message, I'm only going to talk about YOU. About how you can be more successful
at anything you may choose. You see, I understand that no matter how great I feel ASN is
(and I do), I understand that as there is no such thing as a on size solution fits all problems, I understand
that there is no one size business fits all people.

MY GOAL IS YOUR SUCCESS.
But my objective has never been simply to get you to work with us. It has been to give you an
opportunity, but whether you and ASN is a good fit is totally up to you. But whether it's with
ASN or something else, I hope that I can play some small part in helping you achieve your
objectives.  That's why we have the section Success Principles.  They are not just about being

successful  with ASN, they are about success in life.

It is with that in mind that I am including these next articles. They are not about ASN,
but rather about general, but universal principles that absolutely must be adhered to if one is
going to excel in anything worthwhile.

Hopefully, these ideas will help you on your journey to financial success.

Your Partner in Success

Bruce Castro

YOU CAN DO IT!
The first thing that most people need to understand is that success is not an accident. So many
people look around at their doctor, their realtor, their lawyer, the Restaurant Owner and think "look
at the lucky SOB, he's got everything". or "He must have been in the right place or the right time", etc...

They weren't just lucky. They were prepared! Luck is when preparedness meets opportunity!
Opportunity does no one any good if, when it comes knocking, the TV's on so loud that they don't hear it!
Your ship coming in doesn't do much good if you're in bed instead of the dock!

Your success will be the result of not only preparedness and ultimately great ideas-- but of ACTION!

NEVER FORGET! With few exceptions, we begin at the same starting line.

Your boss unless he inherited it, probably wasn’t born owning the company that you now work for. Your Real Estate broker wasn’t born with his license or successful brokerage, Your physician with his MD, your attorney with his Juris Doctorate, (I know I wasn't!). In each and every case they had attitudes and beliefs that led and enabled them to be able to make the choices and decisions that brought them to the esteemed place they now hold.  Oh, and of course, ACTION may have played a part?

Unless we inherit money, marry money or win the lottery, we all started in substantially the same financial place.
What mainly differentiates us are the ACTIONS and CHOICES we make and those are substantially determined by
the Attitudes and Beliefs that we hold.

Of course, some people are born into abject poverty, welfare, drug ravaged families, while others, even though not wealthy, are middle class families with a work ethic and attitude that was handed down to the children, thus giving them a step up on the poorer kids.

A better attitude always leads to better results.

But even this, simply reinforces the statement of the importance attitudes and beliefs.  Attitudes can be changed and improved.  When they get better, choices and results get better.

Those that are born into poverty, welfare, drug abuse, etc, learn very different attitudes and beliefs than those born into the more successful families. They may have the same intellect, actually the same “potential” often even more of each, but the internalized long held instilled beliefs, can affect the actions and choices that they each make so that even though they each graduated from the same high school, each having the same choices to make, i.e. continue the education, get a job, try to start some enterprise, their beliefs in what life can have in store for them drastically affects the decisions and choices they make.

The best and most personal example I can give is myself.  I am not currently in the same league with Bill Gates.  But

I plan on rectifying that!  And I plan on bringing hundreds if not thousands with me...

What was I born with, where did I start?

• I was born to a single mother.

• My father died in a car accident before I was born while my mother was 6 months pregnant.

• Thankfully, at that time, abortion was not a reasonable option, otherwise, There is a substantial chance that I wouldn't be here.  Instead, I was placed in an orphanage.

• After a year, my mother took custody of me, after almost every child in the orphanage had died from meningitis.  Actually, I believe I was the only survivor!   I still have a picture that was in the local paper of me, in the arms of the orphanage director as the survivor of this tragedy.

  • My mother was and still is a great and loving mom!  But we were poor.  I don't just mean broke, but poor. But because I was so loved, I didn't even notice.  I didn't even realize the poverty that I had experienced until one day I was thinking about my days in Arkansas, a  placed that I absolutely loved...

  • We lived in a big white 2 story house.  In  thinking about it I remembered that I wasn't allowed to go upstairs, because mom was pretty sure I would fall right through the floor!

  • I remember, one of my favorite Christmases. The sum total of my presents consisted of a $10 dollar BB Gun.  I was ecstatic!

• Having said all of this, I know many had it worse.  But the point of the story is that I also know that many would have used the reality of my beginnings as an EXCUSE for failure.  The thing that I did have is a mother, who even though poor, was supportive and inspirational.  She always told me "I could do anything!"  Objectively, I don't know if it was true but I do know that it made me willing to always try.  Because I believed, I was willing to try.  Because I believed, I achieved!  The reality of this universe is that if you try, if you act, you achieve! 
   

See Universal principles of success.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?
Attitudes and Beliefs ALWAYS manifest themselves in actions and choices. We are all the sum total of the actions and choices that we have made up to this point in our lives. If you are not satisfied with every aspect of your life, it is because attitudes and beliefs have motivated you to make choices and decisions that led you to where you are.

Within reason, if you, in anyway are less than satisfied with any aspect of your life, you can change it and you can start right now!  Not enough money? Imperfect relationship. Want better "things"? It doesn't matter. It's all in your hands and it's all a matter of choice.

SOME IMPORTANT TRUTHS
Realize no matter where you came from, no matter where you are, right now, today you can start making choices and decisions that can dramatically improve your life and your future. But it requires more than just reading and “knowing” these truths, it requires internalizing them so that they are a part of you.  The must be internalize to the point you naturally react in a way that comports with them. 

In other words, it doesn't matter what you know... it matters what you do!

Next...

Get Rid of Excuses!